Reborn Yesterday - Tessa Bailey Page 0,84
sleep claimed her was Jonas staring down at her in shock. And oddly…recognition.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ginny woke up on soft, heavenly bed sheets to a trio of angry male voices.
She cracked an eyelid open, expecting to find Jonas, Tucker and Elias in the same room with her, but she was greeted by nothing but darkness. Cautiously, she walked her fingers across a fluffy pillow and found something hard. A side table? She scooted over a few more inches, levered up and switched on a lamp, finding herself somewhere unfamiliar.
A hotel room?
Memories forged through her foggy mind. Her entire body jerked when her fall from the Verrazano returned to her in full force, putting her back in the center of her freefall. She heaved a breath and sucked in more oxygen, ironically wishing she had some water.
Jonas burst into the room through an adjoining door wearing nothing but black sweatpants. His hair was still wet, which meant he’d either taken a shower or it was still damp from their impromptu swim. She hoped it was the latter because it would mean she hadn’t been out long.
“You’re awake,” Jonas sat down on the side of the bed, his weight on the mattress causing her to roll toward him. Automatically, his finger threaded into her hair, his thumb massaging circles into her temple. “How are you feeling?”
She laid her head on his thigh. “I’m fine.”
He watched her in silence, brows knit together.
“I’m glad the wound on your chest is fading. I didn’t like thinking of how much it must have hurt.”
“Hmmm.”
Was it her imagination or was he acting odd? “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said quietly. “Everything.”
“Oh is that all?”
Not a hint of a smile from Jonas.
“What were you arguing about?”
“Now, we weren’t arguing,” Tucker said, clomping into the room with a pinched grin on his face. “Your mommies and daddy were just having a discussion.”
Ginny sat up all the way with her back against the headboard, realizing too late she was wearing an unbelted white hotel robe. Thankfully, Jonas yanked the sides shut and secured the belt around her waist before she could flash Tucker. She glanced at the adjoining door, waiting for Elias to join them in the room, but the entrance remained empty. “How long was I asleep?”
“Two hours,” Jonas answered. “We’re at a Hilton in Staten Island. It was the closest place I could find.”
Tucker cracked a laugh. “Listen to the disgust in his voice over the three-star rating.”
Jonas was still staring at her strangely. “It’ll do for the night, but you should always expect better.”
“What’s going on with you?” she whispered, reaching up to scratch his chin. “You’re looking at me like I grew a unicorn horn.” Her eyes widened in mock concern. “Oh my God. Did I?”
“No.” His smile was lopsided, eyes intense. “You’re as perfect as ever.”
She must have left her shame floating in New York Harbor, because even with Tucker in the room, her nipples turned to sensitive peaks inside her robe and she contemplated pulling Jonas down on top of her in the bed. Just to remind herself of the delicious press of his weight. Oh wow. How she missed his weight.
“My God. That racing pulse of yours…” His gaze fell to her mouth and sparked. “Stay calm for me, love.” Ginny reined in her galloping libido with two hands. Or tried to, anyway. Jonas ruined her progress by leaning down and speaking right on top of her ear. “Do you remember what you told me before you fell asleep?”
Ginny clawed through her memory, but couldn’t remember a thing after climbing onto Jonas’s back in the water. “No.”
“Mmmm.”
“What does mmmm mean?”
“Elias,” Tucker called to the other room. “They’re ignoring me.”
Cheeks heating, Ginny shied back from Jonas. “Sorry.” It was hard to concentrate when Jonas refused to stop regarding her like some kind of riddle he was attempting to decipher. “Um. What are we arguing about?”
“You’re not arguing about anything,” Jonas stressed. “You’re resting.”
Elias strode into the room, hoodie up, once again shielding his face from view. “She has the right to know you’re leaving,” he said, voice casual.
Jonas closed his eyes. “Fuck you, Elias.”
“I’ve heard that plenty.” The room’s newcomer sprawled out on a couch in an unlit corner of the room. “Doesn’t change the facts.”
Ginny felt as though she were standing back up on the ledge of the Verrazano. Winded, unbalanced and preparing to tumble end over end. “What does he mean you’re leaving?” Her mouth was dry as dust. “Where are you going?”
“I was going to